Scotland Day 1: A few 'grouses' about the weather

We woke in the morning to discover the beautiful sunny evening that met our arrival had turning into a cold, grey dreich.

We caught up with our guides and fellow adventurers early so that we could could visit a black grouse lek before breakfast. The visibility was poor and the air damp. When we arrived at the site, it was very difficult to see the birds. A few bobbing backsides – the white of the male tail feathers was about all I could see. 

Black grouse, what Black Grouse?

Lesser redpoll called as they went over and the inevitable willow warblers sang from various trees. Everyone got poor views to be fair but at that stage, we were all happy.

A bit later at breakfast we discussed the weather, as you do and Dave and Chris, our guides for the tour laid out plans for local birding in Abernethy forest, primarily for crested tit and the magnificent capercaillie. The excitement was clearly audible.

We arrived and parked up near Loch Mallachie and made our way down through the incredible Scots pines listening out for crested tit. There were plenty of chaffinches and coal tits called from the canopy. Dave was quick to pick out a calling crested tit and we all rushed to the spot and stretched our necks to see a flitting bird high up in the top of the trees. It wasn’t easy to pick up on it and as it constantly moved from tree to tree. If identification was difficult then photography was impossible!

Across the loch we found a goldeneye, gliding through the mist that hugged the edge of the loch. A great-spotted woodpecker drummed close to the car park and gave some of us good views.

Our next main stop was at Inverlaidnan, and into a private estate to get a 20/30% chance of capercaillie. The huge grouse is now critically endangered in the Scotland but Heatherlea do give you a real chance to catch sight of this 'Horse of the Forest'. This is an opportunity no one should turn down. Following our moorish views of both black grouse and crested tit, I figured we would probably not see one but we all fixed our stares into the pine forest, looking for just a dark shape either low down or up in the branches of the pines. After about 5 minutes, Chris our guide called a 'Caper' up in the tree 15 yards in front of our vehicle.

Capercaillie

The two vehicles we had, manouvered themselves so both groups could get a view on the bird. Fortunately, the capercaillie then came out along a thick branch and the cameras went crazy. What a bird. I’m not sure it has even really sunk in yet. We were looking at one of the most wonderful of British birds and it lived up to everything I had imagined. It soon dropped away and we were not to see it again even on our return back out of the estate.

After lunch at the Strathdearn Services, we traveled on the road from Carrbridge, stopping to view the moorland for red grouse and by comparison to the capercaillie, it was easy to pick out and watch the red grouse. For me the classic image that sums up the flavour of Scotland and a bird that usually plays second fiddle to its rarer cousins.

Red Grouse

We moved on to Lochindorb and sighted a black-throated diver. It offered really only scope views and photography was always going to be challenging. However, eventually they moved themselves closer to us and even in poor light, we managed reasonable views of this diver.

Black-throated Diver

On our way back to the hotel, we went along the B9007 and our guides picked up on some clearer views of the black grouse – not really lekking but gesturing to each other and definitely not in the fog!

Black Grouse Lek

What a great first day we had. No one could have predicted the score when we set out in the mist at 6am. if we were in any doubt about the quality of our guides then this was proof of their quality. A quality that would prove to get even better as the week went on.

Back at the Mountview hotel, we all shared our amazing experiences over a fabulous dinner that tasted all the sweet for our Black Grouse and Capercaillie caper.. Heatherlea not only deliver fine birding but the whole hosting experience is worth the money alone. Good wine list too, BTW.